Message Magazine’s Online Devotional for Wednesday, January 13, 2016
The Lord patiently led the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. With tender love, He listened to their grumblings even though they should have been praising Him. He knew that they would not always follow His plans for them, yet He remained faithful. Part of His liberation plan included a written revelation of ten principles governing His will. After releasing them from the wicked bonds of Pharaoh, He wanted them to receive a level of freedom that they could only receive from Him. He wanted them to be free to worship with all their hearts. How could they be certain that He was able to expand on their freedom? He gave them a point of reference. He identified Himself as the Lord that had just released them from Egyptian slavery. They knew without a doubt that it was only by the grace of God that they were free. God wanted to associate their physical freedom with the spiritual freedom they would receive as they lived within the safeguard of His Law.
In the words following His proclamation that He released them from Pharaoh, God began to speak His incredible ten words. As He etched His will in sapphire stone for all to see, He would also write His Laws on their hearts and in their minds if they were willing to have faith in Him. His Ten Commandments would then become ten promises. As He promised that He would free them from Pharaoh, He promised that if they loved Him, they would have no other gods before Him. He promised, if they loved Him that they would not kill or steal. Every Commandment became a promise to those who chose to live for Him.
As the Lord brings the light of His will for our lives, we may think that His way is too difficult, but we must learn from the Israelites. The deliverance from Egypt that they needed was no easy process. In fact, if it were left to the people, it would have been impossible, yet the Lord prevailed over their enemies. The blessing is that all of the inherited and cultivated tendencies toward evil that we have are obstacles that the Lord will surmount as well. As He demonstrated to His people of old, He is able to utterly vanquish the enemy. When we receive His power by faith, he enables us to satisfy Him. He empowers us with His Spirit and makes promises to us as well. As we remain in step with Him, we walk on from victory to victory. It does not come without struggle, but the Lord does keep His promises.
Remember that the same God, who delivered Israel and brought them through the Red Sea on dry ground, is able to make His Commandments living principles in each of our lives. If we still need a point of reference on which to build our faith, we need look no further than Calvary. It was at Calvary that Jesus bore every one of our sins and died in our place. At Calvary, the beginning of His plan of redemption was revealed. He demonstrated His ability to bury past sins, and early on Sunday morning, when He arose from the tomb, He demonstrated His power to make us alive in Him. Praise the Lord for these blessed points of reference!
Today’s Scripture Promise:
“I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” (Exodus 20:2).
Today’s Marching Orders:
Accept God’s promise to keep you holy no matter what happens today.
